est mountaineers. It commenced on the last day of
April, and continued without cessation for sixty consecutive hours. The
day had been mild and pleasant; the green grass was about six inches
high; the trees had put out their new leaves, and all nature conspired
to show that the sombre garb of winter had been permanently superseded
by the smiling attire of spring. About dark, however, the wind turned
into the north; it commenced to snow violently, and increased until it
became a frightful tempest, filling the atmosphere with a dense cloud
of driving snow, against which it was impossible to ride or walk. Soon
after the storm set in, one herd of three hundred horses and mules
broke away from the herdsmen who were around them, and, in spite of all
their efforts, ran at full speed, directly with the wind and snow, for
fifty miles before they stopped.

Three of the herdsmen followed them as far as they were able, but soon
became exhausted and lost on the prairie. One of them found his way
back to camp in a state of great prostration and suffering. One of the
others was found dead, and the third crawling about upon his hands and
knees, after the storm ceased.

It happened, fortunately, that I had reserved a quantity of corn to be
used in the event of finding a scarcity of grass, and as soon as the
ground became covered with snow, so that the animals could not get at
the grass, I fed out the corn, which I am induced to believe saved
their lives. Indeed, they did not seem to be at all affected by this
prolonged and unseasonable tempest. This occurred upon the summit of
the elevated ridge dividing the waters of the Arkansas and South Platte
Rivers, where storms are said to be of frequent occurrence.

The greater part of the animals that stampeded were recovered after the
storm, and, although they had traveled a hundred miles at a very rapid
pace, they did not seem to be much affected by it.

CHAPTER IV.

Packing. Saddles. Mexican Method. Madrina, or Bell-mare. Attachment
of the Mule illustrated. Best Method of Packing. Hoppling Animals.
Selecting Horses and Mules. Grama and bunch Grass. European Saddles.
California Saddle. Saddle Wounds. Alkali. Flies. Colic. Rattlesnake
Bites. Cures for the Bite.

PACKING AND DRIVING.

With a train of pack animals properly organized and equipped, a party
may travel with much comfort and celerity. It is enabled to take short
cuts, and move over the country in almost any direction